Appeals court says SeaTac voters can decide on $15 minimum wage

SeaTac voters will get the chance to decide whether the city should increase its minimum wage to a nation-leading $15 per hour, after a state appeals court today reversed a judge’s ruling from August that disqualified signatures needed to place the measure on November’s ballot.

Today’s order, issued by a three-judge panel of the Washington Court of Appeals, has yet to elaborate as to why King County Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas erred in her Aug. 26 ruling, which disqualified 61 signatures of registered SeaTac voters who signed more than one petition.

But the appeals panel reversed Darvas’ ruling, vacating her order and writ that otherwise would have prevented the ballot measure’s qualification.

“Without a writ, the measure is going to the ballot,” said Dmitri Iglitzin, the lawyer representing the SeaTac Committee for Good Jobs, a citizens’ group supporting the measure.

Harry Korrell, a Seattle lawyer representing Alaska Airlines and other opponents to the measure, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment about the ruling.

Even if opponents’ appeal the ruling, they cannot prevent Proposition One, the so-called “Good Jobs Initiative,” from going to SeaTac voters in November.

About The Today File

The Today File is a general news blog featuring real-time coverage of Seattle and the Northwest. It is reported by the news staff of The Seattle Times and includes stories from The Associated Press and McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.